Brand preference?

bonnies_gouldians · Post by **bonnies_gouldians** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:06 pm

Featherharp,

What is birdie bread? That sounds like it might be a lot of fun for the little guys. How do you make it? I would love to give them some variety. Can you freeze any unused portions to have it last longer?

Thanks!

Post by **Sally** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:24 pm

There is a great recipe for egg bread at www.finchaviary.com. It is under care and then diet, then eggfood recipes. You don't have to add the handfeeding formula or vitamins if you don't have them, just make the bread with eggs and Jiffy Mix, then you can add whatever you want when you feed it. You can freeze it and thaw out just what you need each time. That is another excellent site for finch information, too.

I also grind up pellets to add to my eggfood. I had all these pellets in the freezer when I switched back to seed. I grind them in the coffee mill (they are extremely hard!), then I just add some of the powdered pellets to the eggfood--helps dry out the eggfood a bit, while adding more protein and vitamins--double benefits!

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:03 pm

Like Sally mentioned the nice thing about bird bread is you can hide just about anything in there!.....veggies....pellets...crushed eggshell etc. And yes....you can freeze it and just take out what you need for the day. I cut mine into 1" squares and thaw them in the microwave as needed. If you don't have juice I have also used V-8 tomato as a substitute.

To the basic birdie bread recipe listed below I also have added an additional 1/2 cup of veggies and up to 1 & 1/2 cups of seeds or pellets and the bread still comes out fine. You just have to experiment and see what your birds will like.

Here is the basic recipe that I use for my Parrot and Finches. I have also used the recipe that Sally shared the link to and the Finches eat it up.

Basic Birdie Bread

Ingredients:

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 small jar-baby food sweet potatoes
3 eggs
1/2 cup apple juice
2 eggshells, finely ground to a powder
OR scrape cuttlebone with a
knife about 1 teaspoon

Directions:

Prepare muffin mix as directed on package. Add the 2 additional eggs and all of the remaining ingredients. Mix well until peanut butter is dissolved. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch square pan. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Cut into 1 inch squares and wrap rows of pieces in plastic wrap. Put all rows of pieces in one large bag. Defrost one piece as needed.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:18 pm

I use the mini muffin pans looks like A little cake

bonnies_gouldians · Post by **bonnies_gouldians** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:27 pm

Thanks so much I can't wait to try that recipe for them, I think they will take to it a little better than straight out veggies (I am going to try your suggestion and hide them in the bread!)

franny · Post by **franny** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:31 pm

Deborah,

When you say you can add 1/2 cup veggies and/or seeds/pellets.. would you add green veggies like broccoli florets? I presume you would add them in raw before you bake? Or would a harder veggie like grated carrot be better? Other than dandelion greens my finches won't eat anything green! Not even cucumber, which I hear is a favorite with many.

Also I recently bought something at a health store that I wondered if it would be OK to give to the finches. It's sold for people...it's crushed flax seed, lightly coated with maple syrup. Meant to be added to cereal, or sprinkled on just about anything, as it's loaded with omega-3. just wondering if the hint of maple syrup would be bad for the birds though. Thought they might like it added to the birdie bread. It doesn't taste sweet to me, and I know you can buy "honey" treats for finches, but not sure about maple syrup?

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:50 pm

I take broccoli and chop it up small and mix into the batter and bake
broccoli has a lot of moisture,you can get it to wet just watch how much liquid you ad to the muffin mix at a time, mine eat it all up

franny · Post by **franny** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:58 pm

B CAMP wrote:I take broccoli and chop it up small and mix into the batter and bake
broccoli has a lot of moisture,you can get it to wet just watch how much liquid you ad to the muffin mix at a time, mine eat it all up

Great, thanks! Can't wait to try it.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:59 pm

Franny.....when I add veggies (mostly broccoli & carrots)...I usually grate/shred them through a cheese/vegetable grater by hand so they are nice and small for the birdie bread and yes I just put them in raw and they do seem to eat it. But I have been giving them raw shredded broccoli on a plate so they are used to it already.

If you are not sure just put a little broccoli in there and see if they eat it...maybe when it is hiding in the birdie bread they will not mind the green.

franny · Post by **franny** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:02 pm

FeatherHarp wrote:...If you are not sure just put a little broccoli in there and see if they eat it...maybe when it is hiding in the birdie bread they will not mind the green.

Thank FeatherHarp. I've tried the raw broccoli - they didn't show any interest. I keep trying though. But I think disquising it in the bread will work!

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:59 pm

Franny....I realized I forgot to address your question about the sweetened flax seed(Not that I know for certain...lol) but if you can't taste the sweetness yourself I would think adding some flax seed to the bird bread should be alright since flax is good for the birds and it is mixed in with all the other ingredients. I know sugar is not supposed to be good for birds just like dairy but in small amounts it should not hurt them. I guess if they start bouncing off the walls you might cut back on the sugary stuff...lol!

Hmmmm...maybe that is what PoohBear's problem is...too much sugar eh?

Marigold · Post by **Marigold** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 6:52 pm

My Ladies wouldn't eat any type of greens. Maybe Herb Salad but I had so many of them I couldn't afford to keep buying it.

In another post someone asked about supplements. I use Triple Greens. It is a powder form of 13+ veggies and fruits and different vitamins.

I give them a heaping tbsp of my supplement seeds everyday in their seed dish and by the time I get home 10 hrs later, I see allots of hulls and a few seeds. So I know they are eatting their veggies........

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:47 pm

Where do you get that on line,Triple Greens is it A seed ?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:53 pm

If Triple Greens is more economical than Herb Salad - I'd be interested in ready more about it too!

A penny saved... (is something I could surely use!)

MissEdie · Post by **MissEdie** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:53 am

FeatherHarp wrote:Like Sally mentioned the nice thing about bird bread is you can hide just about anything in there!.....veggies....pellets...crushed eggshell etc. And yes....you can freeze it and just take out what you need for the day. I cut mine into 1" squares and thaw them in the microwave as needed. If you don't have juice I have also used V-8 tomato as a substitute.

To the basic birdie bread recipe listed below I also have added an additional 1/2 cup of veggies and up to 1 & 1/2 cups of seeds or pellets and the bread still comes out fine. You just have to experiment and see what your birds will like.

Here is the basic recipe that I use for my Parrot and Finches. I have also used the recipe that Sally shared the link to and the Finches eat it up.

Basic Birdie Bread

Ingredients:

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

3 tablespoons cornmeal

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 small jar-baby food sweet potatoes

3 eggs

1/2 cup apple juice

2 eggshells, finely ground to a powder

OR scrape cuttlebone with a

knife about 1 teaspoon

Directions:

Prepare muffin mix as directed on package. Add the 2 additional eggs and all of the remaining ingredients. Mix well until peanut butter is dissolved. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch square pan. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Cut into 1 inch squares and wrap rows of pieces in plastic wrap. Put all rows of pieces in one large bag. Defrost one piece as needed.

Gonna try this =)

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Brand preference?

birdie bread?

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